Flowable cottonseed and method for its preparation

Abstract

A method for the preparation of a handleable, flowable coated cottonseed product is provided which involves coating cottonseed with a composition of (a) water or a liquid feed product, (b) one or more organic acids and (c) a metal compound capable of interacting with the one or more organic acids to form a coating on the cottonseed, and curing the coating formed thereby, and the flowable cottonseed product formed thereby, as well as its use as a feed supplement for ruminants such as cattle, as a plantable source of cottonseed, in a method for treatment and / or prevention of urinary calculi or prevention of milk fever in cattle, or in a method for increasing milk fat in dairy cattle, a method for increasing milk production in dairy cattle, and a method for preventing ketosis in ruminants.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a cottonseed composition having improved flowability and handlability and a method for its preparation, and its use as a feed for ruminants, particularly cattle or as a plantable source of cottonseed.[0003]2. Discussion of the Background[0004]Cottonseed is an ideal feed ingredient for ruminants, due to the balanced combination of protein, fiber and other nutrients contained therein. However, its use has not been widespread, due to significant handling problems. Cottonseed used for feeding has an outer coating of short cotton linters (short fibrous “hair-like” structures). These linters remain on the cottonseed after processing in cotton gins. During normal handling, the linters cause the cottonseed to clump together and cause difficulties in handling with traditional feed-grain handling equipment.[0005]One solution proposed for this problem has been the preparation of a starch coated cot...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a readily handleable and flowable cottonseed product having low phosphorous content, and is suitable for use in conventional feed-grain handling equipment.

[0013]A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for the prevention of milk fever in cows using a preferred flowable cottonseed product of the present invention.

[0015]A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing milk fat in dairy cattle using a preferred flowable cottonseed product of the present invention.

[0017]These and other objects of the present invention have been satisfied by the discovery of a coated cottonseed product comprising cottonseed coated with a coating composition comprising (a) water or a liquid feed product, (b) one or more organic acids and (c) a metal compound that interacts with the one or more organic acids to create a shell around the cottonseed, a method for its production and its use as a feed or plantable source of cottonseed, as well as a variety of methods for improving the health and productivity of ruminants, particularly dairy cattle.

Problems solved by technology

However, its use has not been widespread, due to significant handling problems.

During normal handling, the linters cause the cottonseed to clump together and cause difficulties in handling with traditional feed-grain handling equipment.

However, this process is very energy intensive and expensive, requiring significant expenditures in equipment for its production.

However, this results in a cottonseed having a high phosphorous content.

This can be an important consideration since overfeeding of phosphorous is often not economical beyond the nutritional requirements of the animal.